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Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science)  2026, Vol. 60 Issue (10): 2121-2128    DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2026.10.005
    
Electro-mechanical coupling constitutive model for dielectric elastomers considering entanglement effect
Haixiao CAI(),Zike CHEN,Rui XIAO*()
Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
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Abstract  

Classical hyperelastic models (such as eight-chain and full-chain models) struggled to accurately describe uniaxial and biaxial tensile behaviors of dielectric elastomers simultaneously, causing inaccurate predictions of actual electro-induced responses in existing electro-mechanical coupling theories. To address this limitation, entanglement effect was introduced into the hyperelastic framework based on the tube model theory, and a novel hyperelastic model depending only on first and second invariants of strain tensor and containing three material parameters was constructed. Combined with ideal dielectric hypothesis, an electro-mechanical coupling constitutive model for dielectric elastomers with four parameters was established. The predictive capability of the proposed model was validated by fitting experimental data from uniaxial tension, biaxial tension, and pure shear electro-mechanical coupling tests of acrylic elastomers. Compared with traditional electro-mechanical coupling models based on eight-chain models, the constitutive model considering entanglement effect significantly improved fitting accuracy for multiaxial tensile behaviors and effectively described electro-induced deformation responses. The established model is expected to provide theoretical support for structural design of soft actuators, and future work can incorporate viscoelasticity and damage effects into the electro-mechanical coupling framework.



Key wordsdielectric elastomer      soft material      constitutive model      hyperelasticity      electro-mechanical coupling     
Received: 27 December 2025      Published: 28 July 2026
CLC:  TP 393  
Fund:  国家自然科学基金创新群体资助项目(12321002).
Corresponding Authors: Rui XIAO     E-mail: 12524057@zju.edu.cn;rxiao@zju.edu.cn
Cite this article:

Haixiao CAI,Zike CHEN,Rui XIAO. Electro-mechanical coupling constitutive model for dielectric elastomers considering entanglement effect. Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science), 2026, 60(10): 2121-2128.

URL:

https://www.zjujournals.com/eng/10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2026.10.005     OR     https://www.zjujournals.com/eng/Y2026/V60/I10/2121


考虑缠结效应的介电弹性体力-电耦合本构模型

经典超弹性模型(如八链模型和全链模型)难以同时准确描述介电弹性体单轴与双轴拉伸力学行为,进而导致现有力-电耦合理论无法精准预测实际电致变形响应. 针对这一不足,基于管模型理论,在超弹性框架中引入分子链缠结效应,构建仅依赖应变张量第一与第二不变量、包含3个材料参数的新型超弹性模型. 结合理想介电假说,建立具有4个参数的介电弹性体力-电耦合本构模型. 通过拟合丙烯酸酯类弹性体的单轴拉伸、双轴拉伸及纯剪切力-电耦合实验数据,验证模型预测能力. 与传统基于八链模型构建的力-电耦合理论相比,考虑缠结效应的本构模型显著提升多轴拉伸行为拟合精度,并有效描述材料电致变形响应. 建立的模型有望为软体驱动器结构设计提供理论支撑,未来工作可将黏弹性与损伤效应纳入力-电耦合框架.


关键词: 介电弹性体,  软材料,  本构模型,  超弹性,  力电耦合 
Fig.1 Schematic diagram of microsphere model
Fig.2 Schematic diagram of dielectric elastomers
Fig.3 Simulation results for uniaxial tensile test
Fig.4 Prediction results of two models for uniaxial and equi-biaxial tension based on optimal material parameters
Fig.5 Contributions of crosslinking and entanglement parts to stress
模型$ {G}_{\text{c}} $/MPa$ N $$ {G}_{\text{e}} $/MPa$ {R} $
网络平均管模型(单轴拉伸拟合)0.018480.0280.018
八链模型(单轴拉伸拟合)0.0205400.035
网络平均管模型(多轴拉伸拟合)0.019490.0190.052
八链模型(多轴拉伸拟合)0.02811900.176
Tab.1 Material parameters and uniaxial tensile fitting errors of molecular statistical models
Fig.6 Schematic of pure shear experiment for dielectric elastomers
Fig.7 Prediction results of constitutive model for electro-mechanical coupling under pure shear
预拉伸$ {R}^{2} $
EV模型八链模型网络平均管模型
$ {\lambda }_{1\text{p}}=0.9 $0.880.920.96
$ {\lambda }_{1\text{p}}=1.8 $0.900.420.95
$ {\lambda }_{1\text{p}}=3 .0$0.920.550.95
$ {\lambda }_{1\text{p}}=3.8 $0.980.600.91
Tab.2 Electro-mechanical coupling error of constitutive model
Fig.8 Prediction of electro-mechanical response in equi-biaxial loading conditions
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